


Call Me Smitten

by Demial



Category: Call Me Emperor (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:49:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28924626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demial/pseuds/Demial
Summary: Shunzhi is such a cutie. I had to write a little something of him falling for the Reader/Emperor/Empress. I tried to make it gender-neutral but I may have missed something.
Relationships: Shunzhi/Reader, Shunzhi/Your Majesty
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Call Me Smitten

It had become a regular thing, your new (newish, you had conquered his empire and added him to your cabinet a month ago) minister coming by your personal palace late to help you with the palace budgets. Money was disappearing somewhere and you wanted to get to the bottom of it yourself. Sometimes it just never sunk in, no matter how much you tried. He sat in his chair stiffly; he was still getting used to not being top dog, you figured.  
  
You figured wrong. Shunzhi admired you, which made it easier to stoop to serving in your cabinet. He admired that you never had an issue asking for help when you needed it. You favoured working as a team to run your empire smoothly. He always thought that it was normal to let pride dictate his actions more often. He admired how easily you cast your pride aside with a smile to beckon an expert closer for a few words. That admiration was an annoyance, currently. He kept his perfectly-schooled gaze trained on your bare face. You had shed all the layers of your royal garments. Your hair had been combed back into a casual ponytail. And you had a comfortable night robe on. Which, he noted as his gaze wandered down, was closed tightly. No peeks of skin were to be had, here. Which Shunzhi understands instantly; a monarch must control their image at all times. The tightness of your robe, though... It left less to the imagination than he would have liked. He was used to wearing layers of stiff and thick clothing but they felt too warm now. Sweat formed in several parts of his body. He sighed silently, blinking slowly, realizing he missed his own former harem.  
  
He snapped his gaze upwards immediately, staring unfocused at the wall above your head. He also pushed his feelings down, down, down. His blush cooled. He was an expert at maintaining his cool and proud of it.  
  
"Why are you smiling?" You interrupted his thoughts. You shook your head at the poor attempt of organized papers on the table. "I don't understand how you're so good at this. By the gods. Help me with this line."  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty."  
  
Shunzhi pushed his sleeves back and leaned closer to you and the papers. The scent of soap entered his nose. Doing his best to listen to what you were saying, it was hard to ignore how you looked up close. Nothing like your proud figure during the day, in your casual wear and freshly-washed face. Without your royal robes as a visual reminder--a barrier of a kind--it would be easier to discard the necessary distance between citizen and ruler. Without the barrier, he laughed and shooked his head along with you. The line between monarch and friend blurred a little tonight. An invisible force tugged him closer as he watched your face move to form words and express disgust at doing taxes when you probably wanted your beauty sleep. A monarch's job is never truly done. That he could relate to. So here he was, pitching in his share of the effort to help.  
  
After he left, realization settled over his form like a cold blanket.  
  
Later that week, he found himself watching your male concubines enjoying themselves at a social function. His heart pounded as he realized he was trying to imagine being among their number. They had the privilege of seeing Your Majesty without the night robe. Shunzhi made an excuse to you about fatigue and left the party early. You kindly bid him rest well, and that only made him retreat to his living quarters faster.


End file.
